For decades, the standard of care for head lice has focused on reactive treatment using pesticide-based products. “Head lice has been associated with poor hygiene or dirty homes and has had mortified parents treating the nuisance in secret, often to no avail,” said Sarah Butler, owner of Lice Clinics of America – Ft. Wayne.

“That’s changing as the medical and educational communities have taken steps to bring head lice out of the darkness of fear and ignorance,” Butler said. “Now we focus on education, prevention, and pesticide-free solutions when head lice are found.”

Indeed, the internet is full of homespun advice on how to treat head lice, urging parents to use everything from mayonnaise to kerosene to kill the bugs. Home remedies people recommend range from laughable to downright dangerous, and Lice Clinics of America – Ft. Wayne is bringing the latest science and medicine to the forefront of the battle against head lice.

When you visit Lice Clinics of America – Ft. Wayne you’ll find a bright, clean, kid-friendly environment with a high-tech head lice solution—the FDA-cleared AirAllé medical device. The AirAllé device uses carefully controlled heated air to dehydrate lice and eggs (nits). It’s been clinically shown to kill live lice and 99 percent of eggs on the spot in a single hour-long treatment.

Lice Clinics of America – Ft. Wayne is one of more than 350 clinics worldwide in 36 countries. Lice Clinics of America is the largest network of professional head lice treatment centers in the world. The AirAllé device has effectively performed more than 400,000 head lice treatments with a success rate better than 99 percent.

“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that one in five children under 12 years old have head lice,” Butler said, “and that it has nothing to do with cleanliness or hygiene. We can also tell you from experience that head lice don’t discriminate, and that people from all walks of life come to our clinic and leave lice-free.”

“We are also adamant about not using pesticide-based products that don’t work—products that can be worse than the condition they are trying to treat,” Butler said. “Studies published in medical journals have found that 98 percent of head lice in much of the world are now resistant to the pesticides used in traditional lice products, and these pesticides have been linked to behavioral and developmental problems in children.”

In addition to the AirAllé device, Lice Clinics of America – Ft. Wayne also carries a complete home line of pesticide-free lice-prevention products as well as educational materials for parents and schools. “We’re much more aware of how lice spread, and how to reduce the risk of contracting head lice,” Butler said. “We work with schools, daycare centers, pediatric practices, and families to prevent head lice infestations, which is the best treatment of all.”

Preventive products include sprays, conditioners, and shampoos that can be used daily or weekly at bath time and act as a lice repellent. All of the products use essential oils and inert gels that contain no harmful chemicals.